I Feel Much Better Today
by TheHouseKnight
Summary: Banks feels really bad when he get the call that he's mother is dead. One night there's a knock on the door. Who is it and what happens when Banks breaks down and cry in front of this person? This is my first DCI Banks story, hope you like it.


AN: Hello. I got the idea to this story when I watched the new episodes with DCI Banks. This is what I though happened after Banks mother died but also before the funeral. English is not my main language so it will contain a few grammar mistakes I guess. Hope you like it and please review if you want.

The shipping is Banks and Annie, because I love that shipping.

Alan Banks drives up his car on the exit road to his house. On the radio he hears the old song "Loch Lomond". Banks feels that he is close to tears but do not feel like it start to cry. Not now. So he tries to hold back them instead. Cry can he do later. Once up at the house, he shuts the car thinking get out of the car. But he's just sitting there. He looks out the car window and feel the tears coming closer to his eyes. It doesn't take long before he bursts into tears. Banks hit the steering wheel with his fist and screaming. He puts his face in his hands and cry more and more. God, what he misses his mother. It came so suddenly and he didn't even say goodbye to her. Which hurts Banks a lot. It hurts so much that he did not have time to say goodbye to his own mother. He knows she's in a better place now. But it's still hurts. Banks are looking up. Darkness has started to come, and he realises that he can't sit in the car forever. He looks up at his house and sighs before he takes the car keys and step out of the car.

Banks locks the car and walks up to the front door. He takes the keys, unlock and step into the house. Once inside, he takes off his jacket and shoes. Bank takes out his mobile from his pocket and goes into the living room. The room is almost completely dark but Banks doesn't bother to light a lamp. Rather, he doesn't care. Instead Banks goes to his CD player and turn on the music. Rather "Invitation to the Blues" by one of his favourite musicians, Tom Waits. Then he goes up to the white couch and lies down flat on it. Banks hear the piano minor tones flow out of the speakers and Tom Waits racial and gruff voice. The music fills up and takes over the room, the whole house. Banks close his eyes and let the music even take over him. Eventually he falls asleep and allow himself fly away to dreamland. Where he can avoid being sad and feel the sadness he feels right now. Just being able to do things and not have to think about difficult things.

A few hours later Bank wakes up by the sound of someone knocking on the door. He opens his eyes and looks around. It is now dark in the room and he can only indicate certain things around him. The song has ended and the house has once again been filled with silence. Though outside Banks seems to hear the rain patter against the roof and windows. The person knocks again, with a little harder knock this time.

"Yes, yes. I'm coming." he says quietly to himself and stands up. He goes to the door and opens it. To his surprise, there's stands a wet Annie. Her blonde hair is almost glued to her face by the water. She is wearing work clothes from the day's work and in her hand her working bag.

"Annie?" asks Banks and look at her in surprise. "What are you doing here?" Annie looks at him.

"Can we take it inside? It rains quite a lot out there, and is quite cold." she says, wiping away some hair from the face.

Banks step aside in the doorway so she can go past into the house. Annie takes off her wet jacket and wet converse. While she takes it off, she can feel that Banks are looking at her. She feels his eyes follow all her movements. When Annie is done she looks up at Banks, whom is now standing in the opening to the living room. She sees that he has just slept and she also seems to see that he has been crying. None of them said anything for a while before Banks straightens up a bit and says, "I'll get a towel to the hair. I'll just get it and fix start the wood stove." He turns and walks up the stairs to the toilet upstairs. Annie looks after him and then goes into the dark living room. She's looking for something to light and after a few seconds she manages to find some windows lights. The lamps glow fills quickly up the room with a cozy and dim light. She goes to the sofa and sits down on, wait for Banks coming down again with the towel.

After a while Banks comes into the room with a small towel. He goes to the sofa and give Annie it. Then he goes to the fireplace and try to make a fire. Annie dries his hair and face, as she looks at Banks. She sees how his long arms father back and forth. How his large hands crumples newspaper and try to light the fire with matches. While Annie sits and examines him, she sees that his hands are shaking. Shaking so much that he does not get neither fire to the matches or fire in the fireplace. Annie put the towel on the table in front of her and stands up. She goes over to Banks and sits down on her knees beside him. Banks that are so involved in trying to light the fire, did not notice that Annie sits down next to him. He jumps to her light touch of her legs as she tries to sit on her knees. Banks look at her. Annie takes calmly the matches and the box from his hands and begins herself to light the fire. After a few attempts, she manages and soon know both could feel the heat spreads in the house. Banks leans back against the table, which does Annie too. They both look into the crackling and warming fire.

"Where is Isla and what says David about this?" Annie hears that the Bank has been difficult to get the words out, and how his voice close to breaking.

"She's with Mom. Me and David ... We fought and broke up." Says Annie and looks at Banks. She notices that he is not directly able to look at her. Rather, to look into her eyes.

"Sorry ..."

Banks look into the fire. He sees how the flames are now dancing around the logs. Banks close his eyes and let the heat take away the cold on his face. He feels how the tears begin to come back again. He can not cry. Not now when he had Annie here.

Annie looks at Banks who was now sitting with close eyes. She notices that he starts to shake. Annie puts her hand on his. Banks jumps to by her touch and opens his eyes. He turns his head and looks at her. Annie sees how his eyes look first down on their hands and then up at her. She now sees the tears begin to well up in his eyes. Seconds goes, and they are sitting so. Just viewing each other with her hands in his.

In the end Banks breaks down in tears for the second time that day. He let go of Annie's hands and put his face in them. To hide the tears. To hide his feelings. Annie embraces gently Banks. He let her do it. Just let the tears come. Annie puts gently him down in her lap. Annie feels how he continues to shake and hear how he is crying in his hands.

"Shhh, It gets better soon." She draws easily her hand over his short hair and over the scar on the eyebrow. Annie continues so for a while and notice after a while that he was not shaking anymore.

"Thank you." Annie nods silently and continues to underline her hand over his head.

"You're welcome." She becomes quiet.

"I ... am worried about you, Alan." She said then.

Banks sits gently up so that he could watch her. She follows his movements. He holds out his hand to her. Annie takes his hand. Banks stands up while he was helping Annie up. Then he leads her to the couch and let her sit down. Bank releases his hand and goes to the kitchen. Annie hears how he turns on the water boiler and taking things down from the cabinets and up from the crates. After a while Banks comes in with two cups in his hands. He gives one to Annie and sits down then next to her on the sofa.

"I know ... I'm worried about myself too ..." says Banks quiet, almost so that Annie can not hear it. He takes a sip of the tea and sighs. Annie does the same and sets later down her cup on the table. Banks put his arm on the seat back and looking at her. She looks at him before she gently moves closer. Annie put her head on his chest and hugs him. She feels how Banks puts his arm around her shoulders. Banks takes one more sip of the tea before he place it on the small table next to the sofa. He puts his chin on her head and closes his eyes. Annie listens to the Bank's heartbeat and feels the warm from him.

"Maybe I was not as close to my family over the past few years. But it hurts so much to me ..." Annie hears his voice echoing in her ear. She looks up.

"I never got to say goodbye ..." he says sadly and turns his head toward Annie.

"I know how it feels. But it gets better soon and I'm here for you, Alan. Like you were there for me after the fire."

That day, Annie thought it was over for her, until the Bank had successfully save her at the last second. After the incident, she didn't dare to go out of her apartment, just go to work or shop. For she was always afraid that Mark Keanen would come after her. That he would try to kill her again. Banks had helped her with those things and been with her when she was extra scared. Annie doesn't want to think about it. It feels like a big lump begins to emerge in her stomach. She backs away from Banks and sits up. Banks are looking at her and sits up too. He understands that the thoughts of Mark Keanen still haunts her. Banks put a hand on her shoulder and they are sitting so for a while. Annie moves closer Bank again. She leans towards him and gives a kiss on the cheek. Banks are surprised by the kiss, but says nothing. Annie looks down at her hands. As if she did not want to look him in the eye.

"I'm sorry I-" More can not keep Annie say until the Bank puts his big, warm hands on her cheeks and kissed her. Annie is shocked first, but respond it soon. She feels how Bank puts his long arms around her waist. Annie settles back on the sofa and Banks follow. She draws her fingers through his short hair. The kiss continues until they both need to break for breathing. Banks put his forehead against Annie. He smiles to himself. Which is the first time in days.

"What is it?" Annie says and smiles at him.

"I'm just so glad you are here and you make me feel better." Says Banks and removes a strand of hair from her face.

"I'm glad you feel better." Says Annie and gives Banks one more kiss.

The next morning wakes Banks of the sun shining in through the white curtains in the bedroom. He looks around and sees Annie sleeping next to him. She had to borrow one of the Bank's shirt and soft pants so that she didn't froze during the night. They had lied and talked all night. Until the morning they both had fallen asleep in each other arms. Banks turns around and examines Annie beside him. She is so beautiful when she sleeps, thinks Banks and smiles to himself. Suddenly, his mobile starts to ring. Banks turns around and takes it up from the bedside table. It's Helen Morton caller. He pressed the phone and answers: "Banks."

"Hey, it's Helen. I just call and check if you feel better today."

Banks turn their eyes towards the sleeping Annie again. He smiles to himself.

"I feel much better today."

The End.

Hope you like it and please review if you like.

TheHouseKnight.


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